Ralph Cifaretto

Ralph Cifaretto (1957-2002) was a capo in the DiMeo crime family.

Biography
Ralph Cifaretto was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1957 and grew up along with associates Tony Soprano, Silvio Dante, and Jackie Aprile Sr.. The gang of youths became associates of the DiMeo crime family, but Cifaretto's decision not to rob Michele La Manna's card game meant that he did not rise as quickly in the family as the others. Cifaretto dropped out of school in the eleventh grade to take care of his brothers and sisters after his mother died, and he was sent down to Florida to manage the family's interests there. When Soprano became boss of the family, he passed over Cifaretto for promotion, making Gigi Cestone captain of the late Richie Aprile's crew.

Death
Cestone's unfortunate death from a heart attack led to Cifaretto becoming the new captain of the Aprile crew. He disrespected Tony Soprano by killing a 20-year-old stripper at Soprano's Bada Bing strip club after impregnating her, and he further disrespected Soprano when he had his horse stables burned down so that he could use the $200,000 insurance payout to pay for his son's medical bills after he was accidentally struck by an arrow. Cifaretto denied his involvement and rebuked Soprano for being emotionally attached to the horse, leading to a kitchen fight in which Soprano beat and choked Cifaretto to death. Soprano and Christopher Moltisanti dismembered his body and proceeded to bury some pieces at the farm and sink the rest in a flooded quarry.